VOA标准英语10月-McCain Offers New Economic Plan

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has unveiled a new economic plan. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington.
　

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a rally at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pa., Tuesday, 14 Oct. 2008

MARGIN⁹-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px">Senator John McCain announced a series of steps he would take if elected that are intended to help middle-class Americans cope with the ongoing¹ financial crisis.

McCain said he would eliminate taxes on unemployment benefits and would have the government take additional steps to protect against bank failures.

"On my orders, the Department of the Treasury² will guarantee 100 percent of all savings³ accounts for a period of six months," McCain said. "This will calm the understandable fears of widespread bank failure, while also restoring rational judgment⁴ to the choices of the market."

Behind in public-opinion polls with three weeks to go until election day, McCain is trying to find ways to address voter concerns about the economy, the number-one issue in the campaign.

In his latest speeches, McCain has backed off from some of the personal attacks aimed at Senator Obama.

Instead, McCain recalls his experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War and urges voters to fight for their beliefs.

"I know what fear feels like," McCain said. "It's a thief in the night who robs your strength. I know what hopelessness feels like. It is an enemy who defeats your will. I felt those things once before. I will never let them in again. I'm an American and I choose to fight!"

McCain's focus on the economy came one day after Senator Obama outlined his own plan to help Middle America.

Obama would also suspend taxes on unemployment benefits and would place a 90-day moratorium⁵ on home foreclosures.

Obama also said he would provide tax breaks for businesses to create new jobs.

"It is a plan that begins with one word that is on everybody's mind, and it's easy to spell. J-O-B-S, jobs! Senator McCain may be worried about losing an election, but I am worried about you losing your jobs," Obama said. "I am worried about you losing your homes. I am worried about you losing your life savings."

Obama took the day off to prepare for the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday. The economy will be the focus of the debate, which will be held at Hofstra University in New York.

The debate may present one of the last opportunities to change the trajectory⁶ of the presidential race.

Recent national polls give Obama a lead of between six and 10 points over McCain.

In addition, polling by Quinnipiac University in Connecticut shows Obama pulling away from McCain in key battleground states including Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.

Polling experts say historically it can be difficult for candidates trailing this late in a presidential campaign to come from behind and win on Election Day.

But Gallup pollster Frank Newport told MSNBC television that Senator McCain could take encouragement from the 1980 election race between President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat⁷, and Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.

"Another example, however, is in 1980 when our polling showed Jimmy Carter, the incumbent⁸, ahead by as much as six points just a week or two before the election," Newport said. "Then they had a debate, the dust settled, and Reagan won the popular vote by 10 points."

Recent polls also show that voters regard the economy as the top issue in the campaign by a large margin over other topics such as national security, the war in Iraq, and health care.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

3 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

6 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。

7 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

8 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

9 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。